Free Limitations Of Liberty Essay Example

The American history is defined by key events that shape the current USA. One major notable event is the American Revolution whose consequences remain vivid up to now (Reich, 2010, p.303). Basically, it was started to initiate the breakaway from Britain. However, it became more than just a movement when the need to be liberated came in. One of the outcomes of the revolution was the transformation f the American society when the ides of liberty were unleashed to them (Nash, 2015, p.278). It defined what liberty meant to the American citizens and the corresponding parties who could have liberty (Reich, 2010, p.303). At a glance, one could easily think that liberty, defined in the post revolutionary America, was indeed a positive contribution to the American society. Notably, there were limitations linked to the aspect of liberty. This paper therefore, explains the limitations of liberty in post-revolutionary America and how the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution helped to eventually eliminate these limitations. To arrive at conclusions case scenario analysis was used in relation to the topic of discussion.
First and foremost, there was the issue of colonial loyalists. Ideally, they made up approximately 25% of the American population (Reich, 2010, p.25). Hence, after the revolution, they remained loyal to the crown. This group of loyalists especially from ethnic minorities was afraid that the native majorities would contravene on their sovereignty to enjoying cultural autonomy. The plight of the loyalists was manifested in the fight for independence. Basically, it depicted that the fight for independence was indeed a civil war among the Americans (Nash, 2015, p.115). The fight deprived Americans some of their basic rights including food and shelter. In fact, most of the states under the new regime required that their citizens take allegiance oaths to the new nation. This system depicts the negative image brought about due to the revolution for liberty. After the revolution, the loyalists were immediately banished from the USA while some of them emigrated willingly.
Another noticeable limitation of liberty was the Indian Revolution after independence. While the Americans’ winning made them victorious, it meant freedom loss on for the Indians (Nash, 2015, p.167). It should be noted that there were rifts among Indians concerning their allegiance throughout the war for independence. It turned out that the Americans and the Britons were blameworthy for savagery towards the Indians in the course of the war (Reich, 2010, p.272). White freedom did not necessarily mean Indian freedom. In fact, liberty for the whites on the contrary predestined loss of liberty for the Indians. The balance of power, especially in North America could eventually shift from the Native Indians to the existing white Americans (Nash, 2015, p.287). Though, throughout their stay in America Indians had not considered ‘freedom’ as something significant to them, it now meant everything. It meant defending and fighting for their independence to keep hold of the ownership of their native land. As such, liberty did not real mean freedom for the most part to the ethnic minorities. It marked the beginning of yet another freedom war (Nash, 2015, p.166).
Remarkably, another limitation of liberty in the post revolutionary America was the fact that women could still not vote. Women had no voting rights in essence. Their domain was about the public periphery in the domestic context. Men were superior to women and had good paying jobs compared to them. Denying women voting rights implied that liberty meant nothing to them (Reich, 2010, p.117). They still were confined to the conventional system which denied them equal opportunities as men. Furthermore, the level of racial segregation and slavery hit its highest after the revolution. Along the social, political and economical lines, racial segregation remained a fault. Slaves majorly included minority groups such as the Black Americans (Nash, 2015, p.287). Additionally, slaves were not allowed to vote nor were over a hundred thousand Native Americans. Nevertheless, tow documents, namely; the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution helped alleviate these limitations if not totally eliminate them
The Declaration of Independence, first drafted by Thomas Jefferson in 1774, stands out as one of the nation’s most and ever cherished icon of liberty. The document was written to present the convictions of the American citizens under the British rule. Basically, it defined the existing state of affairs cited King George III as an oppressor (Reich, 2010, p.208). This document stated that a government which does not have the interests of the people at heart, or simply steps on the interests is illegitimate. While listing some of the oppressions that the Americans were going through, it helped to express the dismay and convictions of American citizens under the British rule. This would eventually grant them the freedom and liberty they required. This alleviated the negative effects of slavery and oppression under the British Rule (Reich, 2010, p.209). Generally, it freed the American citizens from their harsh British oppressors and also notified the world that America was now a sovereign nation. This document, apart from laying bare the consternation of the Americans, helped reduce issues of slavery and oppression to the ethnic minorities.
On the other hand, the United States Constitution is a document that represents the rule of law and how the government is supposed to conduct its business in regards to the citizens of America. Written in 1787, the Constitution of the United States was aimed at changing the old system of governance (Reich, 2010, p.310). Basically, it was defined by a language of freedom and democracy. It laid down rules and guidelines which directed the conduct of the people to the government and vice versa. Being a supreme law, the US Constitution liberated most citizens both native and from ethnic minorities (Reich, 2010, p.312). It defined the restrictions that the government had imposed various illegal factions including racial segregation. It somehow managed to balance social, political and economic power among the American citizens. Furthermore, amendments to the constitution have seen an alleviation of some of the injustices and limitations manifested in the aspect of liberty at the onset if independence.

References

Nash, G., (2015). Red, White, and the Black: The Peoples of Early North America (7th Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Reich, J. R., (2010). Colonial America (6th Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.